How Does Craniosacral Therapy Work?

by SharonHartnett | Jun 3, 2025 | Craniosacral Therapy, healing

What is Craniosacral Therapy Columbus Ohio?

How Does Craniosacral Therapy Work: A Gentle Approach to Deep Healing

By Sharon Hartnett, CST-D | Craniosacral Therapist in Worthington & Columbus, Ohio

If you’re dealing with chronic pain, anxiety, headaches, or tension that won’t go away, you may want to consider Craniosacral Therapy (CST). This gentle but powerful bodywork helps your body release deep patterns of stress by working directly with the central nervous system.

What Is Craniosacral Therapy?

Craniosacral Therapy is a hands-on technique that uses light touch—often no more than the weight of a nickel. It works with the craniosacral system, which includes the membranes, bones, and cerebrospinal fluid surrounding your brain and spinal cord.

The goal is to support your body’s ability to self-correct by relieving restrictions around the brain, spinal cord, and fascia (the body’s connective tissue).

How Does Craniosacral Therapy Work in the Body?

A skilled CST therapist gently assesses the rhythm and movement of the craniosacral system, using techniques to encourage balance and release. Areas of focus often include:

Cranial bones and sutures (especially helpful for TMJ and headaches)
Spinal segments and sacrum (important for lower back and pelvic issues)
Fascial restrictions throughout the body
The dural tube (which protects your spinal cord)
The vagus nerve (key for calming the nervous system)
The diaphragm Release (opening the body)
10 step protocol (Using a structured listening plan and addressing key areas)

By enhancing the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and relieving pressure around the brainstem and nervous system, Craniosacral Therapy promotes deep relaxation, pain relief, and emotional release.

Who Can Benefit from CST?

Many people in Columbus and Worthington, Ohio come to craniosacral therapy for help with:

Chronic pain and tension
TMJ and jaw problems
Headaches and migraines
Anxiety and emotional stress
Post-surgical recovery
Trauma and PTSD
Digestive or pelvic issues

A Safe, Non-Invasive Therapy

Because it’s so gentle, CST is safe for people of all ages—from newborns to older adults. Each session is personalized and supportive of your body’s healing needs.

Ready to Experience Craniosacral Therapy in Worthington or Columbus?

With nearly 30 years of experience and the highest level of certification, I offer sessions that combine anatomical precision with compassionate care. If you’re looking for a natural, non-invasive way to reconnect with your body and release tension, I invite you to book a session today.

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

614 653-8111

FAQ Page

How Much Does Craniosacral Therapy Cost?

by SharonHartnett | May 31, 2025 | craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, healing, trauma

Understanding the Value and Craniosacral Therapy Cost of a Session.

Craniosacral Therapy Cost Answered

CST is offered by a range of licensed professionals, including massage therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, nurses, and physicians. Pricing can vary depending on their level of training, experience, and location.

Highly trained craniosacral therapists—especially those certified through respected schools like the Upledger Institute—often dedicate many years to mastering this work. Many bring additional expertise in manual therapy or healthcare, which deepens the quality of care they provide.

When choosing a craniosacral therapist, it’s important to consider more than just cost. You’re investing in a practitioner’s education, clinical experience, and ability to hold a safe, skilled presence. Healing is personal, and it’s worth finding someone who has taken the time to study anatomy, refine their techniques, and truly support your body’s process. In this case, experience makes a difference.

Lastly, when it comes to your health, nobody counts more than yourself. You have a choice to be proactive and live with healthy body responses, and you also have a choice to come into Integrative Holistic care when your’e not feeling as well. More often when you choose the first, you’ll probably need to come in less often-getting tune ups. If you are feeling sick or experiencing chronic pain, there is more of a chance, coming in more frequently and longer-term would be the better option. A Craniosacral Therapist can’t diagnose, but once a session is completed, they can describe and give you a better picture what they are feeling, and make suggestions how they can help you.

The Main Cost Answer

The range of prices could be anywhere from about $60.00 for a student learning to about $250.00 based on experience and location. In the Columbus, Ohio area, I have seen prices range from about $90.00 to $175.00 per hour.

Craniosacral Therapy helps you connect with your own inner healing resources. Think how great it would be to mindfully take charge of your own life!

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

614 653-8111

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

FAQ Page

How Craniosacral Therapy Helps Your Nervous System heal from Chronic Stress

by SharonHartnett | May 22, 2025 | Craniosacral Therapy, healing, healthy, Healthy Body, mind body & spirit, mindfulness, upledger institute

How Craniosacral Therapy helps the Nervous System

Your body has an innate intelligence which knows how to heal. But when stress is constant, your ability to function optimally decreases. Craniosacral Therapy can help the body get out of the fight-or-flight response that can occur after a stress overfload. By encouraging the parasympathetic system to shift louder so to speak, the body can create a space for self-repair.

My clients often report:

A noticeable release of jaw or neck and head tension
A sense of inner stillness and calm as the nervous system calms down.
Improved sleep and digestion
Fewer stress-related flare-ups
Deep relaxation throughout the whole mind and body.

Why Chronic Stress Needs a gentle approach

Stress is not taking space only in your head, but it affects the whole body as well. The tissues, the organs and all those miraculous things that keep you alive and well do better when they come into balance. Craniosacral Therapy is considerate, welcoming and the techniques are very supportive to good health. The nervous system has the chance to optimize and create harmony in the whole body.

Find Relief in Columbus, Ohio

At Lighten Up Therapies in Columbus, craniosacral therapy is offered with skill and care. Whether you’re living with long-term anxiety or just feel like your body needs a reset, CST can help restore your nervous system to feel a deeper sense of safety and ease.

Ready to reconnect with calm?

Contact Sharon Hartnett CST-D at 614 653-8111.

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

To find a Craniosacral Therapist anywhere in the world, check out the Upledger Institute.

Nothing Exists Alone: Embracing Connection as a Path to Wholeness

by SharonHartnett | May 19, 2025 | change, craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, healing, healthy, Healthy Body, mindfulness

Through mindfulness and the recognition that everything exists with connection, we begin to heal. Not just ourselves. But also our relationships in the world around us.

When we become mindful of how everything lives in connection, the universe shifts into a deeper mutual place of compassion. Truly discovering that we are not isolated objects is a powerful realization. That’s something we could all use just about now.

It’s not so simple that we are just individuals moving through separate experiences. From the breath we take to the words we speak, our lives are constantly woven into a larger web of interdependence. From the quantum level to how the butterfly effects of one choice changes everything.

I bring this up because as a Craniosacral Therapist, working in Columbus, Ohio, I find that awakening to the bigger picture brings about deep healing, growth and evolution.

Because we are so ingrained to believe in separatness and individuality, we forget that there is more richness in inter-dependence and mutual help and support. Yes, we have a sense of independence, but we are also here in mutuality and connection.

When I work with clients, often I feel that there seems to be a “part” that is dysfunctional. yet as my hands listen, and notice- the other fluids, tissues and systems come into play in the healing process. Nothing can heal in separation or parts. What seems like a problem is actually an expression of something waiting to change and move toward connection, Mostly, I manually wait for the deeper inner intelligence of the body to reconnect and remember the innate wholensss that lives in everything. Other times, the client may speak about past experiences of trauma that are ripe enough to heal. I trust whatever happens to bring the “pieces” back together into the present.

There is always more to us than we ever imagined. To self-realize and discover the value of reaching beyond is a compassionate and wise way to live and grow. Not only for our own personal journeys, but also knowing that each choice we make ripples across the Universe. We all matter. Everything we do counts. Being mindful changes everything.

To learn more about Mindfulness and Connection, check out: www.hakomi.com

To find out more about Craniosacral Therapy, check out: www.upledger.com

Sharon Hartnett CST-d

614 653-8111

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

Relieve Headache Pain with Craniosacral Therapy

by SharonHartnett | May 3, 2025 | concussion, craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, healing, upledger institute

Headache Pain Relief with Craniosacral Therapy

Find Headache Relief with an Upledger Certified Craniosacral Therapist…

Local Columbus Ohio Craniosacral Therapist: Sharon Hartnett CST-D

Experience Lasting Headache Relief with Craniosacral Therapy

Headaches can disrupt your day, leaving you reaching for painkillers and wondering if relief will ever come. Craniosacral therapy offers a gentle, non-invasive approach to headache relief by addressing the root causes of tension and imbalance. Rather than simply masking symptoms, this holistic headache treatment works with your body’s natural rhythms to restore balance, calm the nervous system, and reduce the frequency and intensity of headaches.

What Is Craniosacral Therapy?

Craniosacral therapy (CST) is a light-touch manual therapy that focuses on the craniosacral system—the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid surrounding your brain and spinal cord. During a session, a certified therapist uses subtle manipulations to:

Release tension around the head, neck, and spine
Enhance cerebrospinal fluid flow, supporting detoxification
Balance the central nervous system, reducing stress-triggered headaches

How Craniosacral Therapy Helps with Headaches

Tension Release
Many headaches stem from tight muscles and restricted connective tissue. CST gently eases tension around the cranial bones and surrounding fascia, alleviating pressure that contributes to headaches.
Stress Reduction
By promoting deep relaxation, Craniosacral Therapy for migraines helps reset your body’s stress response, calming the fight-or-flight reaction that can trigger chronic headaches.
Improved Fluid Dynamics
Optimizing cerebrospinal fluid circulation supports nutrient delivery and waste removal in the brain, which can reduce headache frequency and intensity naturally.

Why Choose Craniosacral Therapy for Headache Relief?

Safe & Non-Invasive: Perfect for all ages, including children and seniors
Drug-Free Pain Management: Avoid potential side effects of medications
Personalized Care: Treatments are tailored to your unique craniosacral rhythm
Long-Term Results: Many clients report lasting improvements in headache frequency and quality of life

Ready to Discover Natural Headache Relief?

Don’t let headaches hold you back. Schedule a craniosacral therapy session today and experience the difference of a truly holistic headache treatment. Your body already knows how to heal—let us help you unlock its potential.

Call Sharon Hartnett at 614 653-8111 for a Free Phone Consultation. Find out more about Craniosacral Therapy at: My home Page or The Upledger Institute

How to Feel Safe in Your Body: 5 Grounding Techniques to Reduce Anxiety and Boost Well-Being

by SharonHartnett | May 3, 2025 | Craniosacral Therapy, grounding, healing, Healthy Body, mindfulness

Body Awareness with Craniosacral Therapy

The Top Benefit:

The greatest benefit of feeling safe in your body is enhanced emotional regulation. When you cultivate a sense of bodily safety, healing happens!

It’s important that when you are choosing who to work with for somatic therapy, that you interview, and take your time. Trust your intuition, and ask plenty of questions. Your healing journey truly depends on having a person to trust, and with whom you feel safe when you are on the table.

Craniosacral Therapy, in itself, is a very comforting type of somatic therapy. It begins with being present, using proven technques, and listening and melding rather than manipulating. It offers the body an opportunity to self-correct and move into wellness.

Feeling safe can:

Reduce chronic stress and anxiety, as your nervous system shifts out of “fight-or-flight” mode
Increase resilience, enabling you to face life’s challenges with calm and clarity
Improve relationships, because you’re more present, compassionate, and able to listen deeply
Boost overall well-being, with better sleep, digestion, and energy levels

5 ways to Ground and feel more safe:

1. Stand Outside barefoot and feel how the earth supports you.

2. Mindfully breathe and notice the sensations in your body.

3. Exercise

4. Pat your body from feet to your head.

5. Eat and taste. Listen and hear the music of nature. Touch a tree!

It’s possible to re-build a sensation of “safe” inside again.

Upledger Craniosacral Therapy near me: Check out the Upledger Institute

Breath Freely again with an Upledger Certified Craniosacral Therapist’s kind touch!

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

614 653-8111

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com